Category: Lifestyle

Adelaide Hills Wellness Event

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As the seasons shift and the Mad March festivities wind down, the Adelaide Hills is inviting you to unwind and re-establish your equilibrium at the inaugural event, Wellness Wander. 

Celebrating all aspects of wellness over an April weekend, more than 65 unique events and experiences will take place across the region, gifting South Australians a chance to escape, relax and refresh.

Traversing the Adelaide Hills, from Stirling to Hahndorf and Mount Barker to Lobethal, Wellness Wander is collaborating with a wealth of operators to curate a program that enhances your mental, physical and social wellbeing.

The inaugural event has been broken down into five pillars set to help you revive and refresh. From Learn and Create to Nature, Provenance and Stay, Relax and Unwind, immerse yourself in the tranquillity of the Adelaide Hills across the three-day event program. 

Locals in the Adelaide Hills are throwing open their doors, farm gates, studios and shops to offer an immersive exploration of wellness for couples, families and individuals of all ages.

Join a yoga class in the vines followed by wine tasting at Roaming Zen at Sunsets, Sips and Salutations at Mount Lofty Ranges Vineyard or Balance – Yoga, Bubbles and Brunch – at Golding Wines. 

In Stirling, find The Farmer’s Market From Paddock To Plate event, dive deeper into indulgence with a cheese-making class at Udder Delights, where you’ll get to eat everything you create or pick pears and blend your own cider with Paracombe Premium Perry.

Get a little closer to the land you’re standing on with Ngalimi Yunggudya Wellbeing Retreat by Warida Wholistic Wellness, an immersive day long experience based on reciprocity and connection to self, others and Country. 

Spend the weekend in a state of bliss with Sequoia Lodge’s Reconnect and Discover at Sequoia package. Enjoy the couples hot pool and spa experiences, guided nature walks, sunrise yoga, a chef’s table lunch and of course a stay in one of Australia’s most noted luxury accommodation lodges. 

Connect deeper with your mind as Tilbrook Estate presents Nourish – A Mindfulness Experience, where two health professionals will take you through guided mindfulness exercises – followed by a tasting of delicious local canapes and Tilbrook wine. 

Martin Radcliffe, Chair of Adelaide Hills Tourism Board said that it was fitting that Adelaide Hills was the first region in Australia to be home to the Wellness Wander event. 

“This is the perfect platform to explore a meticulously curated program that delivers bespoke experiences, with a focus on five main wellness pillars that are abundant in the region: Provenance, Relax & Unwind, Nature, Learn & Create and Stay,” Radcliffe says. 

“Launching with so many events that fall under one or more of these pillars, the program is as rich as it is diverse, and celebrates the natural wave of operators that are already authentically operating in this space.” 

The Adelaide Hills Tourism Association is a proud partner of the inaugural Wellness Wander event. The Adelaide Hills Wellness Resilience Project, funded through a bushfire recovery grant from the South Australian and Federal Government, was awarded to the Adelaide Hills in March 2021 to support wellness tourism activation of the region.

Wellness Wander runs between April 1 and April 3 2022 throughout the Adelaide Hills. To find more events and ticketing information, visit the program website here.

In Conversation with Erwin Joven

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New to the Mayfair, executive chef Erwin Joven brings a global flavour to the iconic hotel’s two famed restaurants.

What made you want to become a chef?

I’ve always loved cooking and eating, even as a kid, so at some point in my teens I thought I might be able to make a living out of this hobby! My Dad had worked for food company Nestle and we travelled a lot as a family because of his work so I was exposed to different foods and hospitality from a young age.

What’s your all-time favourite dish?

My mother’s Chicken Adobo – a Filipino dish of meat braised in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, peppercorn and bay leaves over steamed jasmine rice. This is also my ultimate comfort food – I make this dish wherever I am in the world. 

Who were your early culinary influences?

My late mother, my maternal grandmother and uncles were all good cooks, and each had their own specialty dish. Filipino chef Margarita Fores, who was Asia’s Best Female Chef in 2016, [was also an early influence]. I met and worked with Margarita when I was a hospitality student in the late 90s. The chefs of the now closed Mandarin Oriental Manila, where I started my career [were also influential] and the chef instructors at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, Napa Valley, California, where I did my formal culinary training. 

So, you started your chef journey in California – how has that experience influenced your cooking style?

It’s had a big influence. It’s the way they do things there, it’s the way they play around with the produce, it’s the way they put this emphasis on local produce. In California [dishes] typically go in an Asian direction or in a Mediterranean direction and I see those similarities here in Australia. Napa Valley is [also] a world-class wine growing region and it sits next to San Francisco, in the same way that the Barossa and Clare Valley sit next to Adelaide. I’ve been here [in Adelaide] for three months and it really takes me back to that time. 

Will this Californian style of cooking make its way onto the menus at Mayfair?

It’s a lighter, fresher style of cuisine, and a style I definitely want to see make its way into the Mayfair menus – maybe not at Mayflower but perhaps at The Den. There are a lot of ideas that I will play with. That’s the nice thing about working in hotels, there are so many different touch points, there’s that fine dining or refined dining aspect, there’s all day dining, conferences and events, room service, breakfast, amenities – there are so many places to play around with food. 

Your experience also spans other countries and cultures…

I’ve lived in seven countries now and travelled through a few more. In every place I go I try and learn as much as I can about the local food and culture. Many of these recipes and ideas make their way into the menus that I create. 

How do these experiences translate onto the plate?

Tasting dishes at their source and in their local context helps to give me a point of reference and expands my repertoire, which is particularly useful when working in hotels that cater to a broad and diverse clientele. I love working with seafood, so you can expect dishes like Hawaiian-style yellowfin ahi tuna poke, red snapper ceviche with finger limes and avocado, and grilled SA lobster with sea urchin and togarashi butter.

What else can we look forward to this summer at the Mayfair?

Aside from chilled seafood, big salads, succulent meats off the grill and frozen desserts we [also] have the entire festive program to look forward to, and some menu changes for The Den and room service.

And there’s also the Mayfair’s High Tea offering…

One of my goals is to have the best buttermilk scones with jam and cream in the city! We’ll put a twist on the classic high tea items by using trendy ingredients like calamansi limes, ube/purple yam, matcha green tea and tonka beans. Traditional high tea items are typically carb-heavy, so we’ll be finding a way to make some items naturally gluten-free, or at least be able to accommodate dietary needs in more interesting ways.

Mayfair Hotel
45 King William Street, Adelaide
08 8210 8888
mayfairhotel.com.au 
@mayfairhoteladelaide

Month of Love at Sofitel Adelaide

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Why celebrate for just one day when you can celebrate Valentine’s Day for an entire month at the new Sofitel Adelaide.

The French-inspired Garcon Bleu Restaurant on level nine will be serving up a decadent three-course La Saint Valentin menu designed by Chef de Cuisine Gianni Delongu. Priced from $150 per person, it includes a glass of Verve D’argent on arrival. For the complete experience, you can add a wine pairing ($270 per person).

After dinner, take a seat at Garcon Bleu’s Bar or head on down to the Sofitel’s lobby bar, Déjà Vu, and try their two custom-made Valentine’s cocktails – the Lovers’ cocktail at Garcon Bleu’s bar is a vision in pink with white rum, rosewater, pink gin, sugar syrup and spanked rosemary, vigorously shaken (not stirred) over ice. The Valentine’s themed Love-Struck Mimosa from Déjà Vu has fresh strawberries, strawberry gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, red vermouth, Cointreau and sparkling Rose. 

For lovers who want to turn up the romance factor, Sofitel Adelaide has also created the ultimate Valentine’s inspired weekend to stay and play in style. Make a long weekend of it with Sofitel’s Romance, the French Way offer, which includes Champagne on arrival, along with daily in-room breakfast and a leisurely late check-out of 2pm.

New Year New You

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It’s that time again – the new year. The opportunity to reinvent yourself and start fresh. The best way to begin any new year is to set and manifest goals which, with the help of Burnside Village, you can stick to.

Personal development and self-care goals

These goals are the goals to do with you and your psyche. In terms of personal development, ask yourself – do you want to say yes more, be kinder, give up more time to help others, stay more positive, live more deliberately? Write these down! To give you more inspiration and the know-how to achieve these, head to Harry Hartog in Burnside Village. This gorgeous bookshop is filled to the brim with books that hold the secret to achieving a better life.

While we are thinking about ourselves, don’t forget to set self-care goals for the new year. Ensure you commit to taking time for yourself whether that’s with a spa day from Endota Spa, a treatment from Silk Laser Clinic or even a quick (or extended) getaway with Flight Centre. Why not try and commit to treating yourself whenever your budget permits and bring the self-care home with some luxurious products from Aesop or some fresh, sexy underwear from Calvin Klein Underwear or pyjamas from Peter Alexander.

Fitness and clean eating goals

Most of us have some fitness and clean eating goals in the New Year and nothing makes achieving those goals easier than new workout gear! Whether you’re aiming for a marathon or just to go for a few more outdoor walks, Burnside’s workout wear stores will have you covered. Be inspired by Lululemon Athlectica and Lorna Jane’s lines to achieve your fitness goals. You’ll probably need a new pair of runners and thankfully The Athletes Foot has a wide range of choices for any style. In terms of actually getting your heart rate up, Zap Fitness at Burnside Village has all the equipment you’ll need to smash your 2022 goals.

Clean eating goes hand in hand with fitness and whether you’re thinking about trying out more plant-based options or cutting carbs once and for all, the range of eateries at Burnside Village can help support your goal. Head to Let Them Eat for their authentic, handmade, rustic, vegetarian food.

Fashion and beauty goals

It is important, now more than ever, to make conscious choices so this year consider what your fashion and beauty goals are.

Do you want to cut spending or perhaps spend more on quality pieces? Build a capsule wardrobe? Collect investment pieces? Change to clean beauty or sustainable fashion? Only use cruelty-free make-up and fragrances? Develop your personal style? Whatever it is, we suggest creating a stunning Pinterest board and stick to it.

Thankfully Burnside Village has every store you could need to make these goals a reality. Whether you’re making a fashion investment at Carla Zampatti, Sass and Bide or Scanlan Theodore, picking up your high-quality basics at Country Road, Witchery or Zara, scouting for your new make-up, fragrance or skincare collection at Mecca Maxima, Mecca Cosmetica, Aesop or Jurlique or just wanting to shop around with purpose at Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger or Sportscraft.

Make 2022 your year with Burnside Village.

What’s On For Kids

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Looking for fun things to do with the kids these holidays? Here’s some inspiration.

AFL MAX 

Where: 32 Butler Boulevard, Adelaide Airport

Tell me more: Head to the nation’s first immersive footy centre. Soar to new heights on the trampolines, bounce around the inflatables. Test your climbing skills as you reach the top of the rock climbing walls and even sharpen your kicking, passing and tackling skills.  

aflmax.com.au

Cost: $10+

Latitude

Where: 13–15 Fosters Road, Greenacres

Tell me more: The whole family will love Latitude. More than just a trampoline park, their aerial playground also features a climbing arena, ninja-warrior course, dodgeball court, air bag and much more. Find the ultimate indoor adventure this summer at Latitude.

latitudeair.com

Cost: $10+ 

Hahndorf Farm Barn

Where: 2282 Mount Barker Road, Hahndorf

Tell me more: Come visit all your favourite baby animals at the Hahndorf Farm Barn these school holidays. With animal shows every day, you’ll be truly entertained. Milk a cow, bottle feed baby lambs and cuddle with baby rabbits, guinea pigs and chicks.

farmbarn.com.au

Cost: $13.50+

Signature Drinks

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What does your drink of choice say about your personality?

Celebratory sparkling

Those with a flute of sparkling are sophisticated, stylish and in the know. Sparkling drinkers know that it isn’t just a drink for toasts, but a classic drop for any time. They invest in their wardrobe, make smart money choices and are a surprising addition to any quiz night team.

It’s all in the colour

You’ll find these drinkers telling the bartender to make them their favourite drink. Usually, the result is a colourful cocktail that the bartender has been itching to make all night in-between the vodka sodas. Those who drink these colourful concoctions are risk-takers, trend-setters and always have an enviable aesthetic.

Gin drinkers

You’ll find gin drinkers sitting at rooftop bars, perching their glasses next to their designer bags or sunglasses while they try to capture the perfect shot for their Instagram feed. Those who drink gin in any form are social. They’re at every event, holding a glass filled with dried fruit. You don’t need to try and spot them in the room, because they’re usually right in the middle.

Crafty – the new wine snobs

People who drink craft beer would swish it if it didn’t fizz. You’ll find craft beer drinkers gathered together trying to formulate the undertones of each beer as if it was a newly discovered grape varietal. If you don’t drink craft beer, you just wouldn’t get it.

Fruity = Fun

Those who are reaching for a fruity cocktail, like a classic Aperol Spritz, are dreaming of a European getaway. These drinkers are constantly chasing summer and would permanently locate to the beach if they could. If you want to have a fun time, spot the people in the crowd holding these drinks and follow them.

Alcohol-free

The sneaky ones. Those opting for alcohol-free options are smart and healthy. They know they have an early morning so aren’t going to risk it. Getting drunk off the vibes, these drinkers are calculated and usually the first to go home and the first to wake up!

PERSONALISED GIFTING

Looking for the perfect corporate gift idea? Switched on businesses are pivoting toward personalised gifting to thank their hard-working employees – and there’s nothing more personalised than your signature drop. Booze Brothers specialise in corporate gifting and have the perfect drink for every occasion and personality. Contact your local Booze Brothers for more information.

boozebros.com.au

SA Style’s Best Books for Summer Reading

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The arrival of summer welcomes longer days and brighter light. Fill your time with incredible literature. To help you decide which book to turn to, we’ve curated the best summer reads of the season that will be sure to keep you entertained.

Love and Virtue by Diana Reid

Diana Reid is a young, debut, Australian author that helms from Sydney. After COVID-19 saw the cancellation of global theatre, the screenwriter and producer, wrote her debut novel, the award-winning Love and Virtue.

Love and Virtue follows Michaela and Eve – two bright, bold women who befriend each other while in their first year at a prestigious Sydney residential college where they live in adjacent rooms. While the two girls have similarities, they couldn’t be more different, with one searching for reassurances from others and one assured and popular.

But something happens one night in O-week – a drunken encounter, a foggy memory, that will force them to confront the realities of consent and wrestle with the dynamics of power. Love and Virtue follows young Australian university students as they grapple with the challenges of modern-day feminism, power and sex.

The narrative is extremely authentic. The characters are self-aware and reflective. This novel is best read on the beach with an Aperol Spritz in hand.

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

My Year of Rest and Relaxation follows an unnamed narrator – a young, thin, tall, blonde and beautiful woman whose appearances acts as an ironic juxtaposition of her awful personality. Her redeeming quality is her intense self-awareness which, consequently, becomes the narrator’s demise as she becomes repulsed by her own consciousness. In an attempt to escape it, the narrator places herself into a chemical hibernation for a year.

“Neuroproxin, Maxiphenphen, Valdignore, Silencior, Seconol, Nembutal, Valium, Librium, Placydil, Noctec, Miltwon,” she recites, running through her plans to self-sedate.

This novel is an exploration of the challenges of living, the disturbances of consciousnesses, the meaning of art and the wonder of life. Ottessa Moshfegh is a literary talent whose work is perfectly consumed while lounging by a pool.

In My Defence, I Have No Defence by Sinead Stubbins

Sinéad has always thought that there was a better version of herself lying just outside her grasp. If only she listened to the right song or won the right awards (or any award), followed the right Instagram accounts, knew about whiskey, drank kombucha or followed a 70-step Korean skincare regime, she would be her ‘best self’.

In My Defence, I Have No Defence surrenders to trying to live up to those impossible standards. This memoir is witty and wickedly relatable. Following a woman’s reckoning with her complete inability to self-improve and a hilarious reprieve for anyone who has ever struggled to be better.

Sinéad Stubbins is a writer and editor and she is hilarious. This book is a collection of stories from Sinéad’s life. It’s best to sit outside for this one because you’ll be laughing out loud while reading this.

Semi-Gloss by Justine Cullen

Semi-Gloss is a collection of autobiographical essays written by fashion magazine editor, Justine Cullen. Coined ‘definitely not the Australian Devil Wears Prada’ Justine takes us on a hilariously candid exploration of her life so far and all the mistakes she has made along the way. 

Written by a woman who seemingly has her life completely together – the glamorous job, the perfect family, the jaw-dropping, enviable wardrobe, this novel chips away at what lies beneath the glossy surface.

For anyone who has collected glossy magazines, this book is a must-read this summer.

Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason

A hilarious exploration of the dark shadow that can follow us, Meg Mason’s novel, Sorrow and Bliss follows Martha as she tries to discover the source of her shadow.

Martha knows something is wrong with her, but she doesn’t know what. Her husband Patrick thinks she is perfectly fine and that everyone has something, the thing is you just need to keep going.

Martha told Patrick before their got married that she didn’t want children and he said he didn’t mind because making her happy was all that mattered…although he hasn’t managed to be able to do that.

By the time Martha discovers what is wrong, it doesn’t really matter anymore because it’s too late to get the only thing she has ever wanted.

You will devour Sorrow and Bliss in a single sitting. Despite the bleak themes, Sorrow and Bliss will be one of the funniest novels you’ll read all year. Enjoy in the sun and treasure each word.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Goldfinch is the The Secret History. This 1993 novel is truly deserving of the accolade modern classic. This cult bestseller is still on the lips of bibliophiles everywhere.

It follows a group of clever eccentric misfits, under the influence of their charismatic classics professor at an elite New England college who discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries.

But when this world sweeps them away beyond the boundaries of normal morality, their lives are profoundly changed…forever.

The perfect balance of plot and character driven, this story will stay in your head rent-free long after you finish the final word. The perfect weekend away novel, you’ll be wishing you started it sooner and hoping it will never end.

Penfolds For the Love of Grange and Music

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Photo Credit: Little Lion PR

Penfolds are hosting the Summer Series at Magill where they will be showcasing their new release wines with a variety of immersive experiences. Whether you’re entering the enchanted gardens or relaxing in an exclusive cabana with your friends, these experiences are bound to be magical.

One of the experiences is For the Love of Grange and Music. This event is set to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Grange with a food, wine and music experience at Penfold’s Magill Estate.

It will begin with a tour of the underground tunnels where you will discover the secret Grange vintages that were hidden in the tunnels depths in the late 1950’s. The tour will conclude with you sipping on a glass of 2017 Grange and a culinary, music experience hosted in the estate’s private tasting room with music from their limited-edition Grange record player.

Running every Friday, Saturday and Sunday beginning on the 14th of January, at 3pm, this experience is not to be missed.

Tickets are only $85 per person, so be sure to book here, or for more information, click here.

SA Style’s Ultimate Christmas Playlist

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Music has the power to set the mood and this year, your Christmas should be special, so why not go that extra mile with a special playlist?

No Christmas playlist is complete without Mrs Claus herself, Mariah Carey. Nothing surpasses the Christmas power of All I Want for Christmas Is You but some honourable mentions from the queen herself are: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), Silent Night, O Holy Night and Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town.

In close proximity, dare we say, is Ariana Grande who dominates the jolly season’s sound waves with her hit Santa Tell Me. Other honourable mentions from the rising queen are: Last Christmas, Snow In California and Santa Baby, which she sings with ex co-star Liz Gillies.

The King of Christmas is Michael Bublé with his classic tune, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas. Michael’s honourable mentions are: Holly Jolly Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Jingle Bells and Let It Snow!

Meanwhile, the Prince of Christmas is arguably Justin Bieber with his iconic rendition of Mistletoe. Justin’s version of Silent Night is also beautiful while his honourable mentions are: All I Want Is You and Fa La La. A close second for the title is Sam Smith, purely for his incredible version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

In terms of classic Christmas songs we can’t go past: Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow and Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Dean Martin, Last Christmas by Wham!, Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms, Sleigh Ride by The Ronettes, Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town by The Jackson 5, Do They Know It’s Christmas by Band Aid, Santa Baby by Kylie Minogue, Please Come Home for Christmas by Eagles and of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without a little bit of Dolly with Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas by the one and only Dolly Parton and Michael Bublé.

South Australian Style’s Ultimate Christmas Playlist

All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey

Santa Tell Me ­– Ariana Grande

Mistletoe – Justin Bieber

Silent Night – Justin Bieber

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow – Dean Martin

Jingle Bell Rock – Bobby Helms

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Mariah Carey

Santa Baby – Ariana Grande and Liz Gillies

Silent Night – Mariah Carey

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas – Michael Bublé

Do They Know It’s Christmas – Band Aid

Holy Night – Mariah Carey

Please Come Home for Christmas – Eagles

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – The Jackson 5

Feliz Navidad – José Feliciano

Last Christmas – Ariana Grande

Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Dean Martin

Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town – Mariah Carey

Snow In California – Ariana Grande

Holly Jolly Christmas – Michael Bublé

Santa Claus is Coming to Town – Michael Bublé

Jingle Bells – Michael Bublé

Let It Snow! – Michael Bublé

All I Want Is You – Justin Bieber

Last Christmas – Wham!

Sleigh Ride – The Ronettes

Fa La La – Justin Bieber

Santa Baby – Kylie Minogue

Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas – Dolly Parton and Michael Bublé

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Sam Smith

Penfolds Enchanted Garden of Champagne Rosé

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Photo Credit: Little Lion PR

To celebrate summer, Penfolds are hosting the Summer Series at Magill where they will be showcasing new release wines with a variety of immersive experiences. Whether you’re entering the enchanted gardens or relaxing in an exclusive cabana, these experiences are bound to be magical.

One of these experiences is the Enchanted Garden of Champagne Rosé where Penfolds will share the story of Champagne Rosé.

This sensory experience will see you served a Champagne and Rosé Wine Flight of fizzy grapes, smoked trout in a smoking glass over oyster with cucumber sorbet in liquid nitrogen, citrus scented dry ice and strawberry nitro muesli. There’s also an option to complete the experience with a three course lunch with wine pairings.

Running every Friday, Saturday and Sunday between the 5th of November 2021 and the 30th of January 2022, at 11:30am.

Tickets are $85 per person and private bookings are available.

For more information, click here, and to book click here.